Trying hard to be thankful...

First of all, I am thankful. I came from a beautiful, close family who raised me to know the Lord on a personal level. I married into a beautiful family who loves me. I now have my own beautiful family that humbles me everyday, with their love. I am blessed. And I know it.

BUT...

that doesn't mean bad things don't happen to blessed people. We live in a CRAZY, Ugly world FULL of SIN. Bad things will happen. Sometimes my prayers are not always answered the way I want them to be answered either. God ALWAYS answers prayers. God DOES NOT create bad things to happen to me, but sometimes HE allows them. His ways are so much greater than mine, that my little brain sometimes can not begin to comprehend the "Whys" of this world.

I can, however, look back and take a walk down memory lane and realize after the fact, the BIGGER picture, the blessings that sometimes came from pain. I can see how I grew, what contributed in making me the person I am now, or how I grew closer to my Jesus through it all. I may never understand why my baby brother died when I was five. I may not get why I had to be the one to have scoliosis as a child and wear a back brace. It seems unfair that I had to lose three grandparents in one year. I will always ask what if I hadn't miscarried that one little soul before I even got use to the fact that I would be a mom again. I will sit in angry confusion as a friend, a fellow minister's wife dies too young, leaving behind a sweet young family. I will feel helpless as cancer is allowed to attack the bodies of both my husband's parents at the same time. I will still cry as my sister's heart hurts right now and needs love and prayers. I will still weep as as my husband loses a dear aunt, one week before Thanksgiving.

Someone told me at work one time, that I had the "perfect" life. She said I had "no problems." No one has a perfect life. Everyone has problems. It is how you deal with those problems that separates you from the world. It is about having HOPE.

It is about laying your troubles at the feet of the Lord, daily, no matter how little or big. It is about covering the people you love and care about daily in prayer. It is about knowing that trouble will come your way, sometimes it seems too often, but that you plead for strength from the Lord on an hourly basis. It is about knowing that God loves you.

So...

when the storms come, the tears flow and you feel like you have no more energy to face whatever lies ahead, be THANKFUL. Even when the bills stack up, the car breaks down, children get sick or work is hard, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. ALWAYS.

It has been a hard few months for my heart. There is a family issue (in my extended family) that has left me broken and sometimes angry. There has been death in my hubby's family. There has been busyness. There has been situations at work and church that hurt my feelings. Material things have broken down and caused stress. There has been sickness. The ugly of this world has been looming. Yet, I chose to put my faith in the God of peace. He gives me Hope, daily.

When I am trying hard to be thankful, HE IS THERE. And that, in its self is enough to rejoice over.

Happy Thanksgiving friends! I pray you have the blessing of hope today.